This thing can put TWO Goblins into play for
free on turn three. Without you paying any mana
that turn, so you can play Goblin Chieftain,
attack with your 2/2 double strike, and end the
turn with TWO Siege-Gang Commanders in play.
That's just obscenely powerful.
I was lucky enough to get a copy of From the
Vault: Exiled, and so I am the proud owner of
both this creature and his venerable ancestor.
Is the Instigator likely to be in Exiled II in
another 15 years? Perhaps not; he takes one turn
longer to summon the horde, by which time your
opponent may already have defenses up, and the
creatures he has to fight through are even
better than in Goblin Lackey's day (would we
even notice Serendib Efreet in Standard right
now?). That doesn't, however, mean the
Instigator can't cause serious problems. The
only thing harder to deal with than a Siege-Gang
Commander is two Siege-Gang Commanders.
Constructed:
Getting a Siege-Gang Commander or a Goblin
Chieftain is the best you can do for Standard.
It is to easy to block or it will get Path to
Exile. Double strike kills a lot of early turns
one or two drops.
Casual &
Multiplayer:
This is a big hit with the casual crowd. But in
multiplayer games most players dislike goblins.
Limited:
There is a nice number of goblins in Zendikar.
Most have a Kicker. Drafting or building a
goblin deck can do well with the right support
color and cards. Double strike is good for a
1/1.
Overall a good card that was overhype when it
was spoiled early on.
Constructed: 3
Casual: 4
Multiplayer: 3
Limited: 4
Later.
Miguel
Paul
Magic The Gathering COTD: Warren Instigator
Welcome back readers today’s card of the day is
a valuable asset to Goblin based deck, for two
mana you get a 1/1 double strike goblin creature
with the ability whenever it deals damage to an
opponent you may put a goblin creature card from
your hand onto the battlefield. The comparison
to Goblin Lackey is unavoidable where Goblin
Lackey can put any Goblin permanents into play
the lack of tribal goblin permanents makes the
difference slightly moot. Instigator has double
strike meaning if you get a clear shot you can
dump all the creatures in your hand fueling
decks that utilize hellbent or just want to play
out threats and reduce opponents to zero life as
soon as possible. In standard goblins can see
resurgence with the newest goblin lord in Magic
2010 and the presence of powerful red cards in
the current standard Goblins could be a viable
archetype. In extended Lorwyn tribal decks may
see resurgence in popularity and goblins could
be a prime contender with a black/red tribal
deck. In legacy goblins are a powerful presence
with Goblin Lackey this card may or may not
prove a useful addition although it may be more
of a good thing. In vintage I don’t know the
extent that goblins see play although this could
be played in a goblin style deck. In casual and
multiplayer goblins are a popular tribe and this
card can make the goblin player at the table a
fearsome opponent to contend with. In limited if
you pick up enough goblins for support it may be
a powerhouse card in a deck that’s predominantly
red.
Today's card of the day is Warren Instigator an
excellent addition to a Goblin Deck and made to
combine with cards like Siege-Gang Commander,
Goblin Razerunners, and of course Goblin
Chieftain. For a little more of a late game
presence Coat of Arms, Eldrazi Monument, or
Hellkite Charger can end a game in a hurry.
For Constructed, Casual, and Multiplayer this
card can add a great deal of speed and field
presence to a Goblin deck, but without draw
power to support it the offensive must be quick
and thorough to avoid allowing your opponent to
stabilize.
With Limited this is a bit difficult to run
effectively with a mana cost of two Red and the
lower number of potential Goblins to play.
Instead I'd consider focusing on the Double
Strike ability by adding Goblin War Paint or
Trusty Machete to the equation. For Sealed the
value depends mainly on the support, but a high
enough Red mana content makes this quite
playable. With Booster try drafting every other
Goblin and appropriate power up along with burn
to make a fairly effective hurry up offense.
